Our second week in Janalibandali was quieter than the first

On Sunday we trained the women’s group how to use the menstrual cup. Many young married girls came to the training, but not with the profile we really wanted to target: poor girls that could not go to school because of poverty or being married.

There are two reasons why this group may not have attended: 1 – The news did not reach them, or 2 – In this part of Achham, full of high caste people, women’s conditions are better than in other parts where we have worked.

We had a lot of girls in the group that were studying in years 11 and 12 in Mangalsen, who were also given the menstrual cup and kit. This week, we taught years 6, 7 and 8 as well.

On the last day, we held the photo exhibition and showed a small video with the photos the girls have produced about their menstruation over the last two weeks during the participative photography workshops. There were photos from different areas of everyday life:

Food and Menstruation

First Menstruation

Friendship and Menstruation

School and Menstruation

Restrictions

Cleanliness and Menstruation

Family help

One day in the life of a Menstruating women

Babies and Menstruation

Clothes and Menstruation

After the photos, we showed a video about chhaupadi and encouraged girls and boys to talk with their families to try and stop the practice or at least create safer conditions.

While the local authorities in Janalibandali have helped us a lot, they had been really worried about the message we might tell the world about the practice in this part of Accham. But at all times we told them that we would explain the reality we have seen: they expend a lot of effort to end the practice of chhaupadi, and a lot of girls just sleep in separate rooms inside of the house.

But we have spoke to women as well as seen ourselves that many will sleep outside until the older generations within their families have passed away. We have also seen cruelties, like a girl sleeping in a “bamboo basket”.

In Janalibandali, there are less instances of chhaupadi than in other more remote places that we have been working, but we hope that the local leaders and authorities will continue to work on the issue until no girl sleeps outside their homes while menstruating.

For now, we did the only thing we can do: provide education and menstrual cups, to dignify their periods of menstruation overall lives.

West Nepal girls need this kind of program. And we need help to continue the project!

Or if you feel like it, you can donate via bank transfer at: Banc Sabadell IBAN: ES23 0081 0900 8200 0430 1934 BIC: BSABESBB (your recurring donation will help us have a better planning of our budget to carry out the projects undertaken).

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